Finding Eden
by A Poisoned Aishiteru
Summary: And when his eyes flicked across the courtyard, spying the crown of golden hair, he knew he had to have been dreaming. There was no way this paradise would exist in his boring world of marriage and prestige. AU. Roy/Ed.
1. Prologue

Ah, hello there. (:

This idea came to me a bit ago, and I haven't been able to get it out of my mind. So I began typing it out, and it turned into this.

Anyways, hope you enjoy the prologue.

**Title:** Finding Eden  
**Pairings:** Roy/Ed  
**Rating:** M  
**Summary:**And when his eyes flicked across the courtyard, spying the crown of golden hair, he knew he had to have been dreaming. There was no way this paradise would exist in his boring world of marriage and prestige.  
**Warnings: **Nothing this chapter.

**A/N:** This is an AU story set in an alternate timeline. This is just the prologue, so everything else will begin to unfold in the first chapter. Look for it tomorrow. (:

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Finding Eden

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Prologue

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She scanned her eyes around the palace, darting wearily every which way as cracks began to spring into crumbles and breaks soon turned into broken concrete. The roof was on the verge of collapsing, as it rained debris and tiles down every second. The walls were turning inward, as the pillars started to stagger under the sudden shift in weight. The people were running around, trying to escape the falling building before they were crushed, no matter if they were the servants or those 'family' that stayed with them once and awhile for money and other beneficial wants.

Her head whipped around at the sound of shrieking, mahogany hair brushing her bare neck and sending shivers down her spine. The woman had just enough time to spy one of the maids running from the falling posts behind her, before they stopped their dramatic entrance from the floor upstairs and lowered themselves down, crushing the maid below.

"My…my paradise…" She said softly, though her tone did not fall short of her emotion. It was pure sadness as she watched her life starting to cease around her, everything that she had ever wanted now becoming a ruin of the past. Her world was ending, shattering in the blink of an eye, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Her graying eyes detected nothing, as they stared and shined with unshed tears at the breaking of her kingdom. And just when she was about to slip fully away, she felt cold fingertips grab her wrist sharply, dragging her from the illusion she had been submerged in.

"M'lady! M'lady, are you alright?" The servant's voice called to her, her voice cracking as she gave a once over of the woman, though she seemed alright physically. The woman slowly ticked her head towards the voice, her lips drawn into a straight line, but her eyes still ringing with the emotion of loss.

"M'lady, we must leave! The palace is crumbling; we've got to head out!" The servant urged, trying to budge the woman a few times, and when she did not move, she tugged and began to pull her away.

"The palace…?" The woman mimicked, trying the words on her tongue, looking down at the floor as they ran, though she couldn't really see it through her hazy eyes. "My…paradise is leaving…"

"Ma'am, it'll be okay. I'm sure everyone made it out safe, but we've got to hurry so we don't get crushed."

And at that last phrase, that last piece of information of everyone getting out safe, her feet implanted hard into the scratched floor, wrist whipping out of the grip as her eyes grew wide and mouth turned agape. The servant was down for half a second, before she latched back onto the stunned woman, holding her tight as a large slab of concrete fell down right beside them.

"Ma'am, what's wrong?"

"My…Eve…" She whispered, before a scream ripped through her throat, her voice cracking as she neared the climax of the yell, and returned to another piercing cry. "No! My Eve! EVEEE!" She called out into the palace, struggling to get out of the servant's hold.

"Eve will be alright, ma'am! We've got to get out before we are killed!" The servant harshly whispered, tearing the woman's dress at the seams as she pulled and dragged her along.

Everything else was blurring: the shouts from the servant who was calling for help, the pounding of footsteps as they ran to rescue them, the gripping of the soldiers and palace help as they tried to hold her back, and the time it took to get her outside her falling kingdom.

And when she felt the creased and dying grass between her naked toes, not even then did she wake from her submerge. The servant that saved her was trying to focus her attention, that much she could understand by the gestures she had kept making at the others, and the way she was patting her pale face softly.

And just like that, she fell. It didn't go unnoticed, for soon her world last wake of sight was slowly covered by rushing help, and the last thing she saw was the burning and final fall of her paradise through the open spaces between legs of unseen people.

"Eve…" She helplessly muttered, finally closing her eyes and losing herself to her subconscious.

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Thanks for reading!

-Mazzie


	2. Chapter I

Well, here we go with the first chapter. (:

**Title:** Finding Eden  
**Pairings:** Roy/Ed  
**Rating:** M (might lower later on)  
**Summary:**And when his eyes flicked across the courtyard, spying the crown of golden hair, he knew he had to have been dreaming. There was no way this paradise would exist in his boring world of marriage and prestige.  
**Warnings: **Nothing this chapter.

No beta. Just good ol' spell check. Forgive mistakes, please.

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Finding Eden

-

_ Chapter I._

-

He slammed his hands down mercilessly on the mahogany desk, making the ink pot tremble and papers fly to all around. Fingers scrunched up, scratching the fine wood with small slits over already worn in cuts and marks. A deep growl rounded deep in his throat, teeth bared and grinding together as he tried to remain the last once of dignity and cool he had left. Coal-colored eyes were drawn down, reflecting the man's weak-kneed appearance and rattling teeth with perfect diagnostician back at him.

The man, a messenger from the kingdom five days ride from here, was small and weak rounded, with an overload of bushy hair and a trembling lip. He would never see someone like this in his palace, thanks to his father the king, but it didn't surprise him since the kingdom the man was from was quite poor. It beat him why they would try and give their princess to him, when he clearly wasn't shooting for anyone of lower status then his tutor.

And it wasn't his rule, but more likely his parents. Ever since his twenty-fourth birthday, Roy had to worry about every single kingdom's maidens and the worrisome parents that were sending them towards the prince in the first place. It was quite a downfall that each time he had his hopes up, the maiden would be too ugly or not fit for the role of his wife. Sure, he wasn't dying inside every time a beautiful woman came and couldn't read a passage of literature all the way through, but he did have to remember his parents.

Even with them slipping into old age every second, they were still alive and kicking, and for the most part, Roy was still under their overall control. Keeping his eyes narrowed and measured so they made the messenger tremble a little more every second, the prince cleared his throat roughly, prompting the other man on.

"W-well, um… sire, I-I w-w-was sent by the Kingdom of the East to ask if y-you would see our princess at our palace. I-it is only five days or so away from here, sir." He droned on, making the dark haired young man grind his teeth as he stared him down.

Roy stayed quiet, looking at the messenger who was looking everywhere except for the prince.

"I see. Well, if the family of the East wanted me to see their precious daughter so much, why didn't they send someone more compatible to try and talk their way into my schedule? I apologize, but unless the princess and the family come to visit me soon, then I do not believe this will work out for the meeting and marriage they are hastily hurrying to set me up for." He replied, prying his fingers and palms from the well-scratched up wooden surface, before falling back with grace precision and landing perfectly on the leather chair below.

"Well, y-yes sir, bu—"

"Do I need to repeat myself?"

"No, sir, but—"

"Then you are dismissed. Tell my head servant to gather a basket to take back to the palace family, along with my best wishes." And with that, Roy turned around in his chair, facing the large paned window that looked over the courtyard and half of the gardens below. It was nearly springtime, and with that, the window gave a great view of all the blooming flowers displaying several hundreds of different colors and species.

It took a few moments until he heard a sudden outdraw of breath, before scrapping of feet on the thin carpet below. The turn of the brass door handle was music to his ears seconds later, with the final click as it shut declaring everything was over.

He sighed, letting go of a huge breath as he brought his left hand up to massage his temples. 'Just the first day back, and I'm already being swarmed with proposals and rendezvous.' Roy leaned his head back, as a great bundle of fine smoky-black hair fell in a cradle around his face, incasing the eyes of the same color and intensity in them.

The prince had been traveling in the west, following up a meeting with the head of the royal family that his parents had scheduled some months before for him. It was another try to wed him with one of the many suitable young ladies the house had to offer, but none of them exactly fit his want or need. They would vary in size, structure, shape, ethnicity, and color, but alas no one was right for him. He had been through hell for almost a year, as his parents bombarded them with the urge to marry before they both died, since they didn't want him ruling alone. And Roy wasn't keen on that fact either, especially since he would be the first in one hundred years to be a solo leader.

'One hundred years ago…wonder what it was like. Must've been a lot better than the hell I'm enclosed in now.' He mused, pursing his lips at the thought of the lives of those people. Of course, the ones who lived that long ago didn't live in his palace, but the one a bit down the road from here. It had collapsed into ruin sometime back, leaving nothing but stone and a hapless sanctuary for all those who survived. But Roy was at least glad they didn't give up hope and rebuilt their foundation, giving rise to this palace and kingdom.

"It's no paradise, though." He muttered, before giving a dry chuckle that underlined no humor. As he contemplated getting back to what he was doing before the idiotic messenger showed up, which was some boring work, two gentle knocks rang on the door. Swinging his body around just in time to see it open to the person, his smile that had immediately etched into a frown turned into a slated smile.

"It seems like you got back in one piece, sir. I'm sure the west was just as lovely as always, and you were just as humble to be there…as always." The woman said, closing the door behind her with a click. She was dressed in an elegant suit, reserved for tutors only. Even thought he and his parents were real-accepting of having a woman being his personal tutor, Miss Riza was never too fond of the girly dresses she would have to wear under the title. So, she put up with the manly attire full stride when she was on duty, and only switched to her feminine side for special occasions.

She even kept her long blonde hair swept up and out of her face when she visited him like this. Wait, she was visiting him? That could only mean…

"Yes, thank you Miss Riza. I enjoyed it as much as I enjoy any meeting." Roy threw out, scooting himself further to the desk, so he could rest his elbows on the fine wood once more. "Now, I hardly doubt you are here to chat of my well-being."

"Of course, sir, that is correct. You have been away for two weeks, and that is two weeks that we will never get back. In saying that, that is also two weeks that we have lost to your studies and all the paperwork that you usually must complete. Of course, with your absence, I took the liberty to help you out with everything that needed to be signed and sent out; though I wouldn't confuse it with all the other times I help you." Riza uttered, her face blank of emotion, speaking naturally to the drooping face of Roy.

"Well," Roy began, bringing his hand back to scratch the back of his head nervously, "You see, Miss Riza, I was just going to take the day off to rest from the journey. Can't we start tomorrow?" He tried, knowing the plea fell on deaf ears as Riza stared at him without blinking.

"I'll be back with everything in ten minutes, sir. Please prepare yourself for all your missed work." And with that, the blonde woman turned away from the prince, opening the door to leave him in complete silence. 'And she was the one I hoped hadn't heard I had come back…' He thought, though added a sigh out loud to express his sudden misery.

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Thanks for reading!

Any comments/reviews are gladly appreciated.

-Mazzie


	3. Chapter II

Hey everyone (:

So I've been sort of on a writing hiatus the last several weeks, because I misplaced my muse someplace. But now I am finally getting back in the swing of things and will hopefully be updating quicker. Funny since school started today and I should've been able to update much quicker in the summer than during the school year... yup.

**A/N: Don't own FMA. I do, however, own this story idea and all the extras you don't recognize.**

No beta. Only Word spell check.

Rating: T  
Warnings: Strong religious undertones

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Alright, so I'm going to put a little warning/briefing right here just to make it clear to everyone reading. If you hadn't realized by the title nor Roy's talk of a paradise in the first chapter to such extent, then I will go outright and say that this story, from here on out, will have strong religious undertones guiding it. It is what the story is about, sort of like a whole 'Eden' setting. Now, I'm not bashing religion in any way. I'm Catholic myself and I've been going to Catholic schooling all my life. On the other hand, I'm not pushing anything religious on you. if you find this offensive, stop reading.

Now, the whole thing isn't about heaven and the bible, but many concepts, names, and themes will be pulled from the whole story of Eden, Adam, and Eve.

This is just a warning, to put out the flames before they begin. Thanks. Oh and if you really don't care at all, pay this no mind. (:

-Mazzie

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Finding Eden

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_Chapter II_

-

"And some argue whether the garden is an actual location or just a symbolic reasoning for what humans grasp paradise to truly be…" Miss Riza droned on, much to the displayed fatigue of Roy. He leaned back in the plush chair, feet sustained on a stack of study book on the floor. Riza had brought up a study desk, to place next to the side of Roy's, so that she could inevitably see his every move.

She was currently reading something about a garden, as he tipped his head back and looked out the window. Even with him evidently not paying attention, she still went on. Outside, it seemed the garden, both the one outside his window and the one that his tutor was speaking of, was faring out much better than he was. The one outside of his window, on the other hand, were quite well-taken care of, since his mother was always quite the fanatic of the plants, especially the growing crocus off on his left side. Beds of dozens grew in rapid life, their cup-shape opening and showing off to the garden around it.

"Roy? ROY!" Said prince jumped at the sudden call of his name, snapping out of his wonderland as the woman showed her disapproval openly to him dozing off.

With a sigh, she began again. "I know that you would rather be entertaining yourself with other details, sir, but while you are in this room under my jurisdiction, you will be catching up on everything you have missed. Now, have you listened to anything I have been saying?"

There it was again, that scary look that could frighten the scariest monster away. Roy often wondered if she was born with an expression like that, or if she had worked as a tutor for so long that it became a handy talent.

"Uhhh…u-um…something about a garden?" He ventured, slouching his shoulders down, gritting his teeth and preparing for the cut-low blow.

But none came. And when Roy looked up, Riza was just staring at him with a blank face. "Well, you're half-right, sire, but you would be more correct if you added a name to the garden. Perhaps if I say it's the most important one in this book, it would be of more help?"

He glanced over, rolling his head to squint at the title. The bible.

"Oh, so Eden right?"

"Second time's a charm, sir."

Riza immediately looked down, avoiding the crisp gaze that Roy was delivering her way at the moment.

"Well, shall we actually begin where we left off? I do hope you at least remember something of your verses or what the first chapter of the book is called, sir." She didn't look up, much to his relief and he speculated it was because she didn't want to be disappointed.

It wasn't like Roy was a complete failure at anything that did with religion. It wasn't favoritism on something else either, but more along the lines that he didn't care for half of the studies Riza was instructed to teach him. But to his parents, it was something he needed to know. Every detail memorized, no matter the most gruesome death nor the most obvious betrayal. His father schooled him in the fact that anything that happened in the thick book, could happen to him especially during his ruling. So Roy had always figured it was to prepare him for the throne.

"Genesis. I remember that since you whacked me in the head with the bible last time I got it wrong." The prince winced at the memory, rubbing the back of his head to see if there was still a bump.

"Good." Miss Riza answered shortly, turning the pages to where she had marked it, and propping it up in the crook of her arm so she could read it better. "Now, listen up. Genesis, chapter two, verses seven through eight. 'And He formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. And he then planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.'".

Silence on Roy's end through the whole thing made Riza continue until the end, before she turned the page and scanned the verses underlined there. With a sigh of dissatisfaction, she turned back to what she had just read; gazing down to see a flicker of bore flash through her master's eyes, before she set the book back on the desk.

But just as he was about to speak up, something out the large-glass windows caught his attention. With a quick turn of his head, he was looking out and down, at the garden below where two people were walking briskly from the far left towards the right.

'Hmmm…" He muttered to himself, his eyes following them at every step. The first man was an old gardener, his graying hair falling in soft tuffs down his neck. Even through old age, he set a steady pace that was taking the other person behind him two quick steps to every lunge of the old man to keep up.

On the other hand, the young person following him, a blonde with hair tied in a loose pony tail, wasn't familiar to him at all. When had this woman started working his palace? Probably when he was gone, though he would've thought Riza would debrief him by now. She wasn't dressed in feminine clothes, much like Miss Riza cared not to, but more rugged ones that almost made her appear as a boy from way up on the second floor.

But another thought pegged him, about where they were heading. Why would a young, pretty girl like that be sent to work in the garden? They had enough men pulling the weeds and two skilled older women who planted and watered the flowers.

"Hey Riza," Roy said, interrupting whatever the woman had been saying before, as he continued looking towards the pair, that had stopped to admire a bunch of lilacs on a section of the lawn. "Who is that?"

Riza followed his gaze outside, narrowing her sight on the young blonde out with the gardener, Abraham. "Oh, that's the new servant, sire."

"Well, why wasn't I alerted that a new person was hired? I think I have the right to know when someone new begins working in my palace, miss." Roy said, keeping his tone even and smooth as his eyes traveled down to the new worker. Her body was mostly covered with her clothing, and the long tendrils of hair concealed her face from where he sat.

"Sir, you are never alerted when someone starts. You didn't know that more than ten people worked here until two months ago." She replied, her tone dry as scratch paper, a hopeless feeling weighing herself down with every second.

"Well, why are you having such a beautiful young lady working in the garden? I'm sure Deborah wouldn't mind the extra help in the kitchen or cleaning with Susanna. I know she's a servant, but isn't that a bit harsh?" He spoke, though couldn't recall the words leaving his mouth. What was wrong with him? He had never shown this sort of favoritism towards other people, much less his house workers before… so why was this servant so different?

"Lady?" Riza questioned, soundly confused as she stood, leaning over the small desk to get a better view, before her face scrunched up in confusion. "Sir, that's a man."

Roy had been so busy looking out at the pretty girl that he almost missed what his tutor said. It stopped him dead in his tracks, mouth slightly parted as he gawked out through the glass. The two had begun walking once again, and where almost at the corner where they would soon be out of view.

"A-a man?! Are you sure? There's no way in hell that that is a man down there!" He screamed, gaping with an incomprehensible face at the incomprehensible truth he had just learned.

"Yes, sir, from all the times I have met him I am sure. He's a pretty boy who looks more fit for a prince than a servant, but the world isn't always fair, is it, sir?" She sighed, sitting back down and heaving shut the bible on her desk. Roy hadn't moved.

A few moments later, Riza heaved a sigh, sliding her chair back to stand fully erect, a few books in her arm. "Well, you seen thoroughly distracted now sir, so we'll continue early tomorrow afternoon. I'll send some tea up, sire."

But the words, like most of the lesson today, had gone unnoticed, because just as Roy was about to rip his gaze away and comment back, something happened. The man that he had been staring at so fruitfully roughly whipped his head up, as piercing golden eyes tore through the glass pane straight into coal-colored irises. Now he could see his face, and he was a bit of a beauty.

Pale skin encircled his high cheekbones, which screamed nothing short of royal lineage. His eyes matched his hair, both as golden as the early morning sunrise and he could see them both shining as brightly. But overall, it was the way he stared up that made him almost speak before he remembered where he was in contrast to the younger servant below.

He was looking up with a bit of defiance, almost like a challenge that turned his eyes sharper and made the young man look deadly. There was an underside of something he couldn't quite name, but he was afraid it was something along the line of success, which he couldn't understand. What was he succeeding in catching the stare of his master?

The creaking of the door made him alert back to the real world, swinging around in his seat to see Riza standing with one hand on the knob, body poised to leave. He put his hand up, stopping her.

"Yes?"

"Can you send the new servant up, please? I'd like to meet him for myself." He said, speaking carefully so he wouldn't reveal anything.

Riza stared at him for a long minute, before bending herself forward a bit into a light bow. "Of course, sir. Anything else?"

Nothing.

"Then I'll send him up." She answered, stepping out and turning to shut the door.

"A-ah, n-no! Riza!" Roy yelled, waving his arms frantically to get her attention.

"Yes, sir?" She stepped back in with an exasperated sigh.

"What's his name?"

"The new servant?" A nod. "His name is Edward, or at least that is what he said it was." She replied with a shrug, not waiting one more second before she swung the door shut behind her.

Roy had swiveled back to the window by the time the door clicked in place, thinking. They were out of sight, Abraham and Edward. Hmmm… Edward, huh? Such a regal sounding name, though he was exquisite from way down there, so perhaps he did look very wealthy up close as well.

He sighed, turning his back from the window, and the first thing his gaze fell on was his unread, open bible on his desk. Riza had taken hers, but left his open for him, he presumed. Roy hadn't been listening to what she had said earlier, but better late than never, right?

Scanning the two verses once again, he was glad it was all when he was finished because Roy was neither quickest nor stingiest reader. But a word caught his attention: Eden. "Another paradise, huh? It seems that Miss Riza loves to shove everything I want in my face, while Adam and Eve had it so easy. They were placed in paradise." He added with a dry laugh. "They just had to go and screw it up."

With a shake of his head, he slapped it shut, almost disgusted at that thought. Ruining a perfect paradise? How foolish. With one last look at the cover, Roy tipped his head back, lifting his feet back up onto the pile of books before getting comfortable and ready to wait until Riza came back with his tea and Edward.

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Comments and reviews appreciated. Every donation helps feed a small puppy dog.

Think of the puppies.

-Mazzie


	4. Chapter III

So I swear I started this chapter like four months ago, but I just got around to finishing it this week. So I thought to myself: 'Self, you should post that shit up.' So I am (:

Long time for this too? Well since I updated _Inside Beauty_ (big thanks for all the support on that story bytheway!), why not start doing this one again as well?

Well, here it is. No beta. Just spell check and me. Yay.

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Finding Eden

_Chapter III_

Roy stared at the young man sitting in front of him, his face stern though his thoughts were rushing with questions and confusion. The blonde wasn't at all what he had suspected, once he was up and in personal in his office space compared to what he saw outside. Sure, he was still as mistakable as a woman as the prince first thought from way down in the garden, but on further inspection, it was almost uncanny how his beauty beseeched his title. Much like Miss Riza had pointed out, he thought.

It was an appearance meant for someone of great stature, and he was curious as to how a servant acquired such looks. Unless he was one fallen from title, it was shocking even to a man like himself. And words, well thoughts of these were different from a person like Roy who thought everything was for himself with little thought to anyone else.

Besides those he trusted enough. And there weren't a lot of those he could name. He could probably use one hand.

The younger man was looking at him with perceptive eyes, head slightly tilted in a questioning manner. It must've been odd for him, to be called up to see his master when he hadn't done the slightest thing wrong, but Roy wasn't having any of that negative thinking in his room. But with those golden irises peering into his own, almost like he was reading his mind and soul, it was so different from the eyes he had seen challenging him from the courtyard.

The ones before held knowledge and a victorious gleam in them, while these were more drawn-back and focused, with an almost saddened truth hidden deep behind the beautiful gold that presented itself forward. Roy couldn't crack the code by just looking at him, which was something that frustrated him a bit because usually his servants and maids were easy to read. But this one…

A clearing of one's throat in front of him made Roy focus, trying to give as much attention as he could muster to the male. His eyes were still the latter he had seen, a bit demure and submissive to something unknown to the prince.

"I'm sorry, but what was the reason I was sent up? I do hope I'm not already a burden to your house, sir." He spoke with a quick, soft tone as if after everything he said, there was still more that he couldn't even begin to explain.

He was leaving himself out in the open going first, as attentively as he did it and Roy liked it, that manner. Assertive, though he doubted Edward knew he was being it.

"Oh, no no no no no." Roy started, waving his hands palms vertically to dismiss such a notion from the blonde's thoughts.

"Nothing like that at all. Just a bit of an assessment if you will, to see if Riza got someone right for the house." He said with bright eyes and a giant grin, making Edward as unconvinced as ever.

"An assessment?" Edward echoed, with a dry tone.

"Yes, just something to make sure that you will be right for this house." The prince answered nervously, completely thinking of reason on the top of his head encase he had to make something up again. He leaned forward in the chair, glancing at the misplaced papers on his desk that Miss Riza had given him to fill out and sign sometime this afternoon. "So, where did you work before you came to the house?" His voice echoed in the rooms for a moment as the younger man stared at him, eyes never wavering. It was quiet for a few minutes.

"I'm not sure." The answer was soft-spoken, confusion dwelling behind his words.

Roy looked forward, eyebrows scrunching and mirroring the look the servant was sending him. "You don't remember where you came from? What, something like amnesia?"

The younger man nodded. "Yes, I guess something like that. I remember working but I don't know where. I was kicked out of where I was and I wandered around for awhile before stumbling here. I remember hearing about this mansion from someone in a few towns earlier and thought I'd try here." He spoke, sitting back in his chair properly with perfect posture, like it had been beat into him as a child. Roy had been taught to sit like that as well, but it never really stuck with him.

Roy's face pulled together with a mixture of worry, confusion and quite possibly bridling on disposed anger. So it was possible that his birth was of royalty, especially since he couldn't remember his life prior to some months ago? No, he wouldn't let the servant get away with that trivial reason. His confusion was his reaction to wanting to keep this boy closer, like an invisible wire was pulling him closer and closer until it would be physically impossible to separate. He had never felt this way, looking across the desk at the younger man he had just spied outside his window some hours before.

He could feel his mouth drooping into a frown, eyes lowering as Edward stared back with a flat expression. Then it happened. Suddenly, Edward muffled out a screech, bending forward to clutch at his upper chest and his throat, as the sudden movement left him gasping for air.

Roy was on his feet in one second, dodging his desk to drop on one knee beside the younger man, brow knotting with concern.

"What's wrong?" He asked, placing his hand on Edward's knee only to receive a vile shock as the sensation rang through his veins.

Edward slowly lifted his head, blond hair matting his face as the same dark gold eyes peered at him from before. His eyes had changed in that one moment, and now they looked dangerous and foul, like Roy had seen challenging him from the garden.

"Nothing…now." The voice was different now as well, twisted as his mouth twisted into a devilish grin. "Now that I've found you, our paradise can be completed. Don't look so haste at my words, for it's a long way coming."

Roy had been staring at the young man's body, confused, though his body had jump started at the promise of paradise and the way he said that it would be 'their' doing. What. The. Hell was this? And how had it come so suddenly?

"You know it sounds wonderful to you, to get out of your confines and join the quest for eternal gratification and salvation. All you need to do is search fo—"

The sentence was cut off as Edward snapped from the spell, furiously shaking his head and throwing his arms up to grab his skull. "Get out, get out, get out…" He muttered, barely legible for Roy to hear even though he sat at such proximity.

The room had been subdued back into the eerie quiet, as Roy stared, dumbfounded, at Edward. The blond had his eyes transfixed on the floor, as if he was in a daze and the conversation that should be spoken was raging inside of his head.

"What… wha- I mean, are you mental? I mean I know Riza usually has such a great mentality for gathering servants but she's never gotten me an asylum escap—"

"No! I'm not crazy. I-I mean, I'm just fine. There's nothing wrong with me! I can assure you that that never happens and I must just be tired, and I- I—"

Roy stared as he tried to explain the situation, though quickly noted he was still bowed down on the floor. He stood in a flash, patting his clothing down with his hands before turning to gaze down at the blond. His eyes were still seemingly unfocused as he tried to spit out what that whole situation was about.

But it wasn't normal…was it? It was like he was a completely different person when he had been staring up at him before, then someone different when he first entered Roy's office. But for that moment, for that split second… it was like the boy had morphed back into that personality from earlier.

Was he mental? Wasn't there some sort of term for people with different personalities? Roy tipped his head back in thought, though came to no conclusion a moment or so later. He internally shrugged; he'd ask Riza about it later.

"I apologize for my outburst." He whipped his head down in a flash, staring at the bob of golden hair. The pale face of its occupant still gazed at the floor below. Roy's lips turned in a frown, pocketing his hands in the dark slacks as he turned back around and went and sat down behind his desk. "Are you sure you're alright? I can't have insane people running amuck in my house. I've already got too many problems to deal with –"

"You mean your parents do, you smug wannabe!"

"What!"

"I mean, don't your parents usually take care of these sort of interviews? I don't mean to intrude on your business, but it seems a bit much for the prince to care for a king's job." Edward stated over whatever that outburst had been, once again. Was this little servant actually insane? What the fuck was with this attitude that was little and light one moment, than harsh and vile the next? Roy didn't realize he had been gaping at the smaller man, his mouth hanging open a bit as he openly stared.

He should be pissed at that comment, but it more so confused the hell out of him. It truly was like something he had never experience before. Roy realized finally of his embarrassing face, and slowly turned his head downward to start shuffling papers upon his desk, before finally gathering the gusto to lift his head.

He didn't meet golden hair this time, but eyes, staring courageously at him, like it took all his will not to shoot something vile towards Roy. Maybe he just had tourettes or something…

"Were you finished?"

"Wha?" Roy questioned dumbly, only to see a weak smile cross the other boy's face, only to be pushed away a second later as he opened his mouth to speak. "You were saying something about lunatics running around in your house. I promise not to add to your list of crazies, rest assured. But I should probably be going soon. Abraham still had things for me to do." He prompted, nudging his head towards the door leading out of the office.

Oh yeah, the insane people. Did he have crazy people in his house? Well his parents topped the list because they were crazy fuckers. That's all he could say about his father and mother without being disowned. Not that he ever called them that to anyone besides himself anyway. The women here were nutty in their own ways as well. Susanna couldn't clean anything without being prompted with a special kind of cleaner and Sarah was a bit rough in making beds if anyone else were in the room with her.

See, crazy women. And though Edward wasn't female (though Roy had first assumed differently), he almost seemed to fit into the crazy category that he associated most of his servants with. Sure, everyone had their way to do things and flaws, but even then, some things just added up.

"Ah, yes. Well then you should go and meet up with him. Just be sure to get rest and keep that problem or whatever that was under control." He said, dismissing Edward who bowed his head and muttered thanks before getting up and making way to the door.

But as the seconds ticked away and Roy began to go back over their conversation, he stopped dead in his tracks. How had he known…?

"Edward!" Said blond whipped his head around as he placed his hand on the doorknob.

"Yes?" His head tipped to the side.

He had spoken without knowing what he wanted to say to the servant. How had Edward possibly known about his quest for paradise? It wasn't something people logically thought about day in and day out, was it? It wasn't like the passage of time or the garden overlooking his window where he had first spotted the blond; there couldn't be a coincidence on how he had gotten spot on.

"What am I supposed to search for?" The answer had been cut off when Edward had his little attack back to his normal self, and it made his curious. Search for what? What would someone need to seek to find paradise?

"What do you mean? Search for—Oh." He stated, realizing what Roy had been referring to. His expression turned downcast once again, staring hard at the brass knob in his grasp. "I'm not sure myself. Don't worry about it though, because it's not important. And if it is, then it will be revealed." He turned the knob, ready to let himself out.

"But wa-wait! How do you openly accuse someone of wanting salvation in paradise? Do you even know if such paradise exists? There's not a place in the world where a paradise would exist." Roy stood, pressing his palms hard on the flat desk, glaring at the man's back.

"The world is a mediocre place and there is no way in this world that a paradise would exist. If you wish for a paradise, you must seek it out." Edward turned emotionless golden eyes his way, like this was old news to him. "You should stop thinking about it though. Right now, your search for paradise hasn't even left your desk." He pointed his finger towards the thick, heavy bound book on the corner of the wooden desk. The bible.

Roy opened his mouth to speak, before closing it as Edward opened the door. He had never spoken so openly about what he wanted before, not even to his tutor. Why was it so different with this young man he had only met for the first time now? It was almost like… he was speaking the same language as Roy. The same language and quest for something just out of reach. Roy's was just starting; Edward appeared like he had been looking and failing for a long time.

"Edward…" Roy could out one fruitless time. The blond was halfway out the door, but turned his head to glance back over his shoulder. "How is your stay coming along? Everyone treating you well enough?"

The slighted smile appeared once more. "Yes, they are all quite kind. Have a good day, sir." And with that, the door was shut and he was gone.

Edward shook his head, sighing in exasperation as he almost cried out in the frustration building up in his mind and body. He grabbed at his skull, shaking it back and worth as he fought for control. She was speaking to him, chiding him along to say things the whole fucking time! He had been in control and having her serve him for so long that it hurt to be in this again. This servitude.

He wasn't crazy; oh no, he just had a voice in his mind. This voice had been with him for ages, since he could remember. It was like another side of him, a meaner, crueler, feminine side. He knew it wasn't normal, since other young men never had voices talking and taunting them day after day.

It was all because of _him_. Because of Roy that she was freaking out like this, trying to take command of their body and make his lips breed lies that weren't true. Or at least say things that couldn't be fulfilled yet. And she knew it. And Edward knew it. But he didn't want her to take control, because once she reached her full power…

He didn't want to think about his other being reaching control of his power. He didn't want to think about being submerged by her, being clouded over and forced to watch her make him move, make him say things and have no power over it at all.

She was drawn to him. That was the real reason she had brought them here, because she wanted to check out the prince for herself. And it seemed like she found who she was looking for. But Edward clearly wasn't about to let her come out this suddenly and have her way with him.

'Great going, Edward. Trying to break our secret on the first day?' She sniggered; if she had been looking at him, her eyes would have been upturned into a glare.

'You cannot be serious. You know our deal! I take you where you want to go to search for the man we are seeking, and you say quiet. That is the first time you've done that to me in ages, much less in front of someone neither of us know. You can't just force yourself on me!" He heard a growl come from his head, as his voice tried to place the blame on anyone but herself.

That's what she wanted, to find some special man. A man that would set them free. Or break them apart.

'But I think this is the one, Edward! That this is one we have been searching all these years for.' Edward rolled his eyes at the plea she gave, though her voice held little doubt as it did every time she stated this. But this time… He was afraid to admit that he felt something too in front of this one, that this prince could be the one for their paradise.

He pushed from his point at the door, not wanting to look like he was just loitering around muttering to himself, and took down the hall.

"You always say that!" He didn't realize he had said that aloud, before he almost literally ran into Abraham walking towards the dining hall.

"Oh, Edward my boy, there you are. Listen, I finished up everything outside, but could you go and ask Deborah if she needs any help with dinner? I've got to go and speak with someone." He waved a thanks and walked the way Edward had just came, to which the younger boy nodded and gave a fake smile away, before heading forward once again.

Had he seen Edward muttering and talking to himself? He hoped not, though he was sure the old man wouldn't say anything even if he had. The younger man narrowed his eyes, not at Abraham but at the voice, shoving his hands into his pockets and strolling into the swinging door of the kitchen.

'You always say that, with all the other people we visit. How are you so sure now? I think your need of release is fogging your mind. You can't speak to him of paradise yet; what if he's the wrong one?' The voice huffed, muttered something that heard a lot like preconceptions and cursing towards the man, before going silent. He wondered for her but she didn't answer.

She didn't answer because they both knew he was the right one. Their searching would be done. Unfortunately, he didn't know if that was good or not. He didn't know what would happen when they convinced Roy of paradise because they had never gotten this far, sucked a man this far into their promises on the first try. So far, it had been easy. But here came the hard part.

Edward softened his glare now that she was gone from his mind, before shoving the door open and into the kitchen. A woman stood at the stove, stirring something in the large pot. Her light brown hair was tied into a loose bun at the base of her neck, pale skin dipping out beneath the strands at the top of her long maid uniform. She turned at the sound, fixing Edward with gray eyes.

"Hello young man. What do you need?" Deborah asked. She insisted on calling him that, though she knew his name. He had been introduced to her by Abraham before his tour around the garden earlier in the day.

He ventured in, wandering to the island in the middle of the kitchen and sitting at the stool. It was natural to do this, like he used to do this at his own home as a child. Watch the maids cook while watching them. It calmed him down from the recent events as she looked at him with a happy gaze.

"Do you need any help? Abraham finished everything while I was talking to the prince…" He said, dropping at the end as the memory of that began once again in his mind. But Deborah only nodded before checking her brew once again.

"I could use the help with cutting those vegetables over there. I'll need another helping now that we've got a few more mouths of feed." Edward stared questioning at her as he slid off the stool and went to stand beside her.

"Well, you for one."She counted on her left hand. "And Roy, followed by the king and queen." Edward noticed how most of the servants referred to the prince by his first name when they weren't in his presence, though they still respected the king and queen with their titles. Was it out of disrespect they did that, or had she been there long enough to call him that without a title?

He grabbed the carrots and began chopping those first. "I've never seen the king or queen. What are they like?" He asked, nearly missing his finger one time as Deborah stirred calmly next to him. It was quiet in the rest of the large kitchen, beside the door swinging open and close every now and then as servants hustled to and fro, readying dinner.

"The king can be jolly and caring towards his people, but almost apathetic sometimes. Roy takes after him in wanting to do what he wants, but he isn't power hungry. I remember when he first took the place when the last king died, almost thirty years ago. He's calmed down a lot since then, thank the Lord." Deborah chuckled to herself, looking down at him. "I don't think anyone could handle his crazy ideas for much longer, not even his wife." Her voice turned into a slight whisper, before barking with sudden laughter.

Deborah turned down the heat on the stove, moving to the right to lift up the top of something stewing on the back burner. "The queen was always a medium between the king and her son. Quite the beautiful woman, but age and toil have taken some toll on her over the years. You'll like her a lot when you meet her. She'll most likely dine with Roy and the king tonight, so it'll be perfect. The sooner you meet them, the better." Her voice took a sad tinge then, as she grabbed two towels and lifted the back pot from the stove and turned, carrying it over to the island.

"Why is that?" He had been thinking the entire time, while repressing his voice and making sure she didn't interrupt. His employer already believed him to be a crazy with a split personality; he didn't want to frighten her off as well.

Deborah sighed as she mixed a few spices in. "Well, people grow old after awhile, you know. Oh, yes dear please put those in the stew. Anyway, they aren't getting any younger and soon Roy will become king and all that will be left of our current rulers will be us and this house."

Edward did as he was told, before capping the stew and turning back to where Deborah was. He reached to the stack of bowls, fixing spreading them out for when she needed them. It seemed like things had already started to be prepared and had been sent out; he wondered if there was another kitchen or if she had been preparing for long while already. "Do you think the king will die first?" This wasn't good. If he took throne, then what would happen when they needed Roy to complete their paradise? One couldn't live with a foot in both sides.

Deborah shook her head and shrugged. "Who knows? We servants just pray for them every morning and night and thank that we have a successor."

Edward bowed his head, dwelling on it. That means he would have to speed up the process, so his voice was a bit right after all. He couldn't wait to see what happened; her breakthrough to him about paradise wasn't that much out of line anymore. If Roy was going to be taking throne soon… then their paradise would have to be completed sooner than that. Before that. They had to find paradise prior.

He felt a tap on his wrist, and looked into motherly gray eyes. "Now, let's switch to happy thoughts. Grab that stew for me? My bones are getting rather old on me and I'd rather not spill dinner all over the floor." And with another soft smack, Deborah set him on his way, directing him into preparing everything for the family they served. All thoughts of paradise were put on hold as he scurried away, thankful that his voice stayed in his mind.

* * *

Comments, questions, concerns? See spelling mistakes?

I'd adore a review. (:

Confused? Good.

It'll be explained; don't worry ;]

xo Mazzie


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